The valley could no longer withstand it.
Every step Hiroto and the Herald took shattered what remained of the battlefield.
No more massive explosions.
No more overwhelming blasts.
Just Precision.
Hiroto moved first.
He vanished into the shadow grid he had created.
The Herald followed instantly.
Both reappeared midair.
Their strikes collided.
A sharp crack split the air.
They disappeared again.
Reappeared.
Clashed.
Faster.
Again.
Again.
Again.
To everyone watching, they were no longer visible Only flashes of light and darkness tearing across the valley.
Akari narrowed her eyes, trying to track them.
"…I can barely see them…"
The Watcher spoke quietly.
"…They've surpassed normal perception."
Even the Enforcer's grin faded slightly.
"…Now this is a real fight."
Inside the Clash
Hiroto's movements had changed.
No wasted motion.
No hesitation.
His shadow guided his strikes like instinct.
The Herald responded perfectly.
Every attack analyzed.
Every pattern countered.
Hiroto struck high Blocked.
Low—
Countered.
Feint—
Predicted.
The Herald spoke mid-combat:
"Your adaptation rate is abnormal."
Hiroto answered between strikes:
"…You talk too much."
He shifted his pattern.
The shadow grid beneath them changed instantly.
The Herald paused for half a second That was enough.
Hiroto's fist landed cleanly across its chest.
The impact sent the Herald crashing downward again.
The ground exploded beneath it.
Hiroto dropped after it but stopped midair.
Something felt wrong.
The Herald stood up again.
Too easily.
Too smoothly.
Its light stabilized completely.
No flicker.
No damage.
The Watcher's eyes widened.
"…No…"
Akari felt it too.
"…It's not weakening…"
The Herald looked up at Hiroto.
"Analysis complete."
"All combat patterns recorded."
Hiroto's expression hardened.
"…So that's your move."
The Herald raised both hands.
The air around the battlefield shifted.
The shadow grid—
Cracked.
Hiroto's control faltered.
Just slightly.
But enough.
"Adaptation surpassing subject."
In an instant The Herald appeared in front of Hiroto.
Its hand struck his chest.
A precise, devastating hit.
Hiroto was sent crashing through the valley, tearing through stone and pillars before slamming into the far ridge.
The impact shook the entire battlefield.
Yui screamed.
"Hiroto!!"
Akari stepped forward but stopped.
She felt it.
The Herald's presence had changed again.
Stronger.
Sharper.
More absolute.
"Correction nearing completion."
The Herald began walking toward Hiroto's fallen position.
Slow.
Unstoppable.
The sentinel behind the battlefield stirred slightly, But did not move.
Not yet.
The Enforcer watched closely.
"…So this is how it ends, huh…"
Dust slowly settled near the ridge.
For a moment Nothing moved.
Then—
A hand reached out from the rubble.
Hiroto pulled himself up slowly.
Blood covered his body.
His breathing was heavy.
But his eyes Still burned.
"…Not yet…"
The shadow beneath him flickered again.
But this time It didn't spread.
It condensed even further.
Tighter.
Deeper.
The Herald stopped.
"Energy shift detected."
Hiroto stood fully.
His stance lowered.
Calmer.
More focused than ever.
"…If you can adapt…"
The shadow gathered around his arm like a compressed core.
"…then I'll go beyond that."
The battlefield held its breath.
The final exchange was about to begin.
To be continued…